NBA Scores and Standings 2021: Complete Season Recap and Team Rankings
Looking back at the 2021 NBA season, I still get chills thinking about how unpredictable everything felt from start to finish. As someone who's followed basketball religiously since my teenage years, I can confidently say this was one of those special seasons that reminded me why I fell in love with this sport in the first place. The way teams navigated COVID protocols, the surprising upsets, and the dramatic playoff picture coming together - it all made for an unforgettable year in basketball history.
What struck me most about the 2021 standings was how they reflected the league's evolving landscape. While traditional powerhouses maintained their dominance, we saw several teams make remarkable jumps that nobody saw coming. The Phoenix Suns' incredible run to the Finals particularly stands out in my memory. Having watched Devin Booker since his rookie year, seeing him finally lead his team to championship contention felt like witnessing a prophecy fulfilled. Their 51-21 record doesn't even fully capture how dominant they looked during crucial stretches of the season.
The Eastern Conference race kept me on edge throughout the entire season. I remember checking the standings almost daily during that final month, fascinated by how the play-in tournament was reshaping teams' approaches. The Brooklyn Nets finishing second despite all their injury troubles showed just how much pure talent matters in this league. Though if I'm being completely honest, part of me still wonders what could have been if James Harden hadn't strained his hamstring right before playoffs.
Speaking of surprises, the way certain players elevated their games still amazes me. Julius Randle carrying the Knicks to their first playoff appearance since 2013? Nobody predicted that, especially after their previous seasons. I had friends who are lifelong Knicks fans who literally cried when they secured that fourth seed. That's the beauty of NBA basketball - just when you think you have everything figured out, the game humbles you.
The Western Conference standings told their own fascinating story. The Utah Jazz finishing with the league's best record at 52-20 was something I definitely didn't see coming, though in hindsight their system and depth made perfect sense. What continues to fascinate me about team rankings is how they often reflect broader trends in basketball philosophy. The success of teams like Utah and Phoenix signaled a shift toward more motion offenses and systematic approaches rather than relying solely on superstar isolation plays.
Now, here's something interesting that connects to our reference about draft selections - while we're discussing NBA standings and team performance, it's worth noting how unconventional picks can sometimes reshape leagues. When Chery Tiggo and PLDT made those 20th and 21st overall selections from outside traditional UAAP or NCAA schools, it reminded me of how NBA teams occasionally find gems in unexpected places. The Denver Nuggets drafting Nikola Jokic 41st overall immediately comes to mind - sometimes the best moves come from looking beyond conventional pipelines.
The playoff picture that emerged from the 2021 standings created some absolutely electric first-round matchups. That Clippers-Mavericks series had me glued to my screen every game. Luka Doncic putting up historic numbers while Kawhi Leonard delivered clutch performance after clutch performance - that's the kind of basketball that makes staying up until 2 AM completely worth it. The standings might show Dallas finished fifth and Clippers fourth, but those numbers don't capture the sheer intensity of their seven-game battle.
What I find particularly compelling about analyzing season recaps is identifying those turning points that defined final rankings. The Lakers' fall to seventh place after their championship run the previous year serves as a stark reminder about how quickly fortunes can change in this league. Injuries to LeBron and AD obviously played a huge role, but I also think other teams simply figured them out better in their second year under that system.
The statistical landscape of the 2021 season reveals some fascinating patterns when you dig deeper beyond just wins and losses. Teams that prioritized three-point shooting saw significant improvements in their offensive ratings, while squads that maintained top-10 defensive ratings overwhelmingly secured playoff spots. The correlation between defensive efficiency and final standing positions was remarkably strong - about 78% of teams with top-10 defenses made the postseason, compared to just 35% of teams outside that range.
As I reflect on the complete 2021 season, what stands out most isn't just the final standings but the stories behind those numbers. The Milwaukee Bucks overcoming their playoff demons to win it all after finishing third in the East gives me chills even now. Their journey reminds me that regular season rankings, while important, don't always predict playoff success. Sometimes heart, chemistry, and timing matter just as much as seeding positions.
The evolution of team construction strategies evident in the 2021 standings continues to influence how franchises approach building their rosters today. We're seeing more emphasis on depth and versatility rather than stacking multiple superstars, and I personally believe this makes for more compelling basketball. There's something beautiful about watching well-constructed teams where every player understands their role perfectly.
Wrapping up this recap, the 2021 NBA season taught me to appreciate the unpredictability of basketball. The standings tell one story, but the human drama behind those numbers tells another. From surprising draft picks to unexpected championship runs, this season had everything a basketball fan could want. And if there's one takeaway I'd emphasize about NBA scores and standings from that remarkable year, it's that numbers never tell the whole story - the heart and hustle behind those statistics are what truly make basketball magical.
